Refrigerating apparatus



Aug. 24, 1965 J. w. JACOBS REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed May 16, 1961INVENTOR. (/027766 (1/. Jacob 6M 0. H16 A770 [V 16 x4 A? g a v w a a .0/M iv 0 United States Patent f 3,202,211 REFRIGERATING APPARATUS James W.Jacobs, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit,Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 16, 1961, Ser. No. 110,397Claims. (Cl. 165-179) This invention relates to refrigerating apparatusand more particularly to a heat exchanger and to the method ofmanufacturing heat exchangers for use in refrigerating systems and thelike.

It is an object of this invention to provide a heat exchanger havingfluid conduits and integrally formed fins made from relatively flatsheet stock.

It is another object of this invention to form flanged tubularprojections on relatively flat sheets, which projections abut and arebonded to complementary projections on adjacent flat sheets to formfluid conduits.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to reduce theamount of metal drawing necessary to join the fin structures together toform a gas-tight fluid passageway.

These and further objects and advantages of the present invention willbe apparent from the following description, reference being had toaccompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention is clearly shown.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view with parts broken awayshowing a heat exchanger embodying my invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view showing one of the sheets used in makingthe heat exchanger shown in FIG- URE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 33of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of theinvention has been shown, a heat exchange unit, generally designated bythe reference numeral 19, is formed from a plurality of flat sheets 12which not only form the heat radiating fins but also form fluidpassages.

As shown in the drawings, each of the flat sheets 12 is provided with aplurality of relatively large diameter tubular projections 14 which areintegral with the sheet and extend in one direction from the sheet. Eachof the reltively large tubular projections is provided with a relativelysmall diameter internal projection 16 which is joined to the relativelylarge diameter tubular projection 14 by means of a relatively flatsurface 18. The relatively flat surfaces 18 on adjacent pairs of sheets12 are bonded to one another as shown so as to form bonded joints 20between adjacent sheets. The terminal ends of the relatively smalldiameter tubular projection 16 are provided with internal flanges 22which are bonded together as shown to form bonded joints 24. By virtueof the above described arrangement, a plurality of parallel fluidpassages are formed which, in effect, have integrally formed heatradiating fins. The necessary number of return bend elements, such asthe element 30, are provided for connecting the ends of adjacent fluidpassages 26. Suitable inlet and outlet connectors, such as the connector32, may be provided as shown. The elements 30 and 32 telescope into thefluid passages 26 as shown.

By virtue of the above described construction it will be obvious thatthe draw necessary to form the tubular portions 14 and the reentrantportions 16 is not greater than the distance between two adjacentsheets. This is an important feature in the manufacture of heatexchangers as it greatly reduces the number of leaks resulting fromtears in the metal due to excessively long draws.

The sheets are preferably made of basic aluminum to which is bonded oneach side thereof a lower melting tem- 3,202,21 l Patented Aug. 24, 1965perature aluminum brazing or bonding material. The assembly is clampedtogether and dipped brazed in the presence of flux whereby all jointsare simultaneously brazed in accordance with well known brazingprocedures.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed,constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

, What is claimed is as follows:

1. A heat exchanger unit comprising in combination, a plurality ofsubstantially flat sheets, each having a plurality of relatively largediameter tubular projections integral therewith, each relatively largediameter tubular projection having a relatively small diameter tubularprojection therein extending in a direction substantially opposite saidfirst named tubular projection and forming a tube. section, adjacenttube sections on adjacent flat sheets with terminal end portions thereofbeing located in abutting relationship, and means for bonding suchabutting tube sections together for forming continuous fluid conduits.

2. A heat exchanger unit comprising in combination, a plurality ofsubstantially flat sheets, each having a plurality of relatively largediameter tubular projections integral therewith, each relatively largediameter tubular projection having a relatively small diameter tubularprojection therein extending in a direction substantially opposite saidfirst named tubular projection and forming a tube section, the ends ofsaid tube sections having substantially radially extending flangesthereon, said flanges on adjacent tube sections being located inabutting relationship, means for joining said abutting flanges to formsaid tube sections into continuous fluid conduits.

3. A heat exchanger unit comprising in combination, a plurality ofsubstantially fiat sheets, each having a plurality of relatively largediameter tubular projections integral therewith, each relatively largediameter tubular projection having a relatively small diameter tubularprojection therein extending in a direction substantially opposite saidfirst named tubular projection and forming a. tube section, adjacenttube sections on adjacent flat sheets being located in abuttingrelationship, means for bonding said abutting tube sections together toform continuous fluid conduits, each of said relatively large diametertubular projections being joined to said relatively small diametertubular projections therein by means of a substantially flat portionsaid flat portions of adjacent sheets being bonded to one another.

4. A heat exchanger unit comprising in combination, a plurality ofsubstantially flat sheets, each having a plurality of relatively largediameter tubular projections integral therewith, each relatively largediameter tubular projection having a relatively small diameter tubularprojection therein extending in a direction substantially opposite saidfirst named tubular projection and forming a tube section spaced fromsaid relatively large diameter tubular projection, adjacent tubesections on adjacent flat sheets being located in abutting relationshipto form continuous fluid conduits, means for bonding said abutting tubesections together, each of said relatively large diameter tubularprojections being joined to said relatively small diameter tubularprojections therein by means of a substantially flat portion, said flatportions of adjacent sheets being bonded to one another. 7

5. A heat exchanger unit comprising in combination, a plurality ofsubstantially flat sheets, each having a plurality of relatively largediameter tubular projections integral therewith, each relatively largediameter tubular projection having a relatively small diameter tubularpro jection therein extending in a direction substantially opposite saidfirst named tubular projection and forming a tube section, adjacent tubesections on adjacent flat sheets being located in abutting relationshipto form continuous fluid conduits, means for bonding said abutting tubesections together, each of said relatively large diameter tubularprojections being joined to said relatively small diameter tubularprojections therein by means of a substantially flat portion, said flatportions of adjacent sheets being bonded to one another, the terminalends of said relatively small diameter projections having flangesthereon arranged in abutting relationship with complementary flanges onadjacent relatively small diameter projections, said means for abuttingsaid tube sections together also serving to bond said complementaryflanges together.

6. In combination, a pair of spaced sheets, each of said sheets havingembossed portions having flat surfaces arranged in abutting relationshipat a point between said sheets so as to hold said sheets in apredetermined spaced relationship, said embossed portions havingintegrally formed reentrant tubular projections arranged concentricallyWithin said flat surfaces extending in opposite directions from thepoint at which said embossed portions abut one another in sealingrelationship so as to form fluid passages.

7. In combination, a pair of spaced sheets, each of said sheets havingembossed portions having surfaces arranged in abutting relationship at apoint substantially midway between said sheets so as to hold said sheetsin a predetermined spaced relationship, said embossed portions havingintegrally formed reentrant tubular projections arranged concentricallyof said abutting surfaces and extending in opposite directions from thepoint at which said embossed portions abut one another into abuttingsealing relationship with adjacent tubular projections so as to formfluid passages.

8. In combination, a pair of spaced sheets, each of said sheets havingembossed portions having surfaces arranged in abutting relationship at apoint between said sheets so as to hold said sheets in a predeterminedspaced relationship, said embossed portions having integrally formedreentrant tubular projections extending in opposite directions from thepoint at which said embossed portions abut one another, said tubularprojections abutting one another, means for bonding said abutting tubesections to form fluid passages, and a second pair of spaced sheetssimilar to said first named pair of sheets and having its tubularprojections in alignment with and bonded to the tubular projections onsaid first pair of sheets so as to form continuous fluid passages.

9. In a heat exchanger unit the combination of, a plurality ofsubstantially flat sheets, each having a plurality of cuplike duplexprojections, each of said projections having a first relatively largetubular portion extending to 'a uniform distance from the major plane ofits sheet, each of said cuplike projections having an oppositelydirected relatively smaller projection arranged interiorly and concentrically of said large tubular portion and extending past the majorplane of said sheet to a distance from the face of said sheet oppositefrom which said relatively large projection extends, which distance isabout equal to the extended distance of said relatively largeprojections.

llti. In a heat exchanger unit the combination of, a plurality ofsubstantially flat sheets, each having a plurality of reversely drawnprojections, each of said projections having a first relatively largetubular portion extending from the major plane of its sheet, each ofsaid cuplike projections having an oppositely directed relativelysmaller projection arranged interiorly and concentrically of said largetubular portions and extending past the major plane of said sheet to adistance from the face of said sheet opposite from which said relativelylarge projection extends,

which distance is about equal to the extended distance of saidrelatively large projection.

References tilted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 810,030 1/06Briscoe 165152 1,787,942 1/31 Kalloch 165-181 2,045,657 6/36 Karmazinl-151 2,146,352 2/39 Rohrer l33.l.80 2,788,195 4/57 Karmazin 165l50.l5l2,821,772 2/58 Billetter 29157,3 2,959,402 11/60 Edwards l651822,974,404 3/61 Humenik et al 29l57.3

FOREIGN PATENTS 9,410 4/31 Great Britain' CHARLES SUKALO, PrimaryExaminer.

HERBERT L, MARTIN, JOHN J. CAMBY, FRED- ERICK L. MATTESON, 111.,Examiners.

1. A HEAT EXCHANGER UNIT COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A PLURALITY OF SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT SHEETS, EACH MOVING A PLURALITY OF RELATIVELY LARGE DIAMETER TUBULAR PROJECTIONS INTEGRAL THEREWITH, EACH RELATIVELY LARGE DIAMETER TUBULAR PROJECTION HAVING A RELATIVELY SMALL DIAMETER TUBULAR PROJECTION THEREIN EXTENDING IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY OPPOSITE SAID FIRST NAMED TUBULAR PROJECTION AND FORMING A TUBE SECTION, ADJACENT TUBE SECTIONS ON ADJACENT FLAT SHEETS WITH TERMINAL END PORTIONS THEREOF BEING LOCATED IN ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP, AND MEANS FOR BONDING SUCH ABUTTING TUBE SECTIONS TOGETHER FOR FORMING CONTINOUS FLUID CONDUITS. 